After working out all week, the last thing you want to do on your much-needed day off is anything physical. But the truth is that physical recovery is better for you than spending all day on the couch watching your latest Netflix obsession. “Active recovery sessions help round out your training,” says Lesley Logan, a Los Angeles-based Pilates teacher and founder of Profitable Pilates. “Another benefit of active recovery is that it gives you something different to do so you don’t get bored!” So, what does active healing mean?
Active rehab is just a short, easy workout that you do on your day off. Even though you might want to stay in your sweats and watch TV on your day off, exercise recovery has a lot of benefits. First of all, physical recovery can help with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which can happen after a particularly hard workout.
In fact, a recent study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that light exercise relieves the acute soreness caused by DOMS in a way that is similar to a massage. Even if you don’t spend all your free time at the gym, active healing can help you stay on track. For me, it can be too easy to ruin five days of working out and eating well all at once.
On my days off, when I fall off the wagon, I fall hard. But when I do active recovery on my rest days, I find it much easier to make better choices all week, which keeps me moving toward my fitness goals. You want to do physical recovery on your day off, but you don’t know how. Here are the five best active recovery workouts that can be used in any fitness program.
Walk that walk.
I love to go for long runs, but they are hard on my joints, so I don’t do them every day. I go for a long walk on my days off. Walking is a great way to get moving again, and almost anyone can do it. One study found that light exercise like walking can help the body’s lymphatic system get rid of waste more quickly.
Also, walking is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety by doing something active. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America says that walking for just 10 minutes can help lower stress and anxiety. Walking for active healing doesn’t need any kind of training plan. On your day off, just put on your shoes and go for a 30 minute (or longer, if you want) brisk walk around your area or a nearby park.
Find a middle ground.
“I probably wouldn’t be able to walk right now if I hadn’t done Pilates as part of my active recovery when I ran marathons,” says Logan.
Yoga and Pilates are great active recovery exercises to do between hard workouts because you use your own body weight to slowly stretch and strengthen your muscles. This keeps your muscles active and engaged between workouts.
“Yoga and Pilates also work to strengthen your hips, improve your stance, and balance out the uneven parts of your body. “My times got faster, I got back to running faster after long distances, and I never hurt myself running,” says Logan. Do you want to try yoga for active recovery? Start with Keri Kugler’s 10-minute yoga flow.
Take a dip.
This idea might shock you, but don’t laugh at it until you’ve tried it. It’s a great workout that you might not expect, and it’s the perfect physical recovery activity for a day off. You can do light power training and low-impact cardio at the same time with water aerobics.
But if group lessons aren’t your thing, swimming a few laps is also a great way to get moving and feel better. Get your swim cap and goggles and check the schedule for water exercise classes at your local YMCA or aquatic center on your day off.
Keep moving on.
I have constant shoulder pain because the first time I trained for a half-marathon, I didn’t do active rehab. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I bought a foam roller, but if I use it right, it’s a great way to avoid and relieve muscle strain after a workout. Foam rolling is a way to self-massage trigger points in your muscles.
To use a foam roller for active healing, find the trigger point that usually makes you sore after a workout (for me, it’s my shoulder and glutes) and press into the roller for about a minute to help loosen up the tight muscles you’re feeling.
From the Inside Out: Healing
Active healing is all about making sure that your body stays strong and flexible between workouts. During an active recovery practice, you can work on building a stronger core, which is one way to do this.
Getting stronger in your core doesn’t have to be a hard workout on your day off. Instead, try a few key yoga moves that will help you build core strength and give your body a break. Active healing is just one part of a well-rounded plan for a rest day.
To finish off your rest day, keep eating healthy foods and drinking lots of water. If your rest day is also your cheat day, it’s fine to have a slice of pizza or some ice cream. Otherwise, stick to lean protein, healthy fats, and whole carbs. When it’s time to go back to the gym, you won’t feel tired and full of ‘za. Instead, you’ll feel energized and ready to go.
